Adjustable anchor for railing supports



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W. W. THOM Filed Feb. l2, 1962 ADJUSTABLE ANCHOR FOR RAILING SUPPORTS Nov. 10, 1964 United States Patent O Kans.

Filed Felt)D 12, 1962, Ser. No. 172,421 3 Claims. (Cl. 256-65) This invention relates to fasteners, and more particularly, to apparatus for anchoring a member to a fixed support.

The primary object of this invention is to provide anchor apparatus which may be permanently installed during the construction of a support, yet which remains shiftable to permit ready alignment of the anchor with the member which is to be anchored to the support to facilitate the connecting ofthe member to the anchor.

Another object of the invention, and in the achievement of the foregoing object, is the provision of such apparatus wherein the anchor element is shiftable in any direction to insure proper alignment with members having fastening devices in fixed locations on the members.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of anchor apparatus which can rigidly clamp the member in a iixed position with respect to the support following alignment of the fastening devices on the member with the shiftable anchor element.

Yet another very important object of this invention is to provide dependable anchor apparatus for attaining the foregoing objects, yet which can be quickly and easily fabricated through utilization of economical manufacturing processes.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, end elevational view of a stair railing assembly illustrating one typical utilization of the anchor apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of the assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, front elevational View of the apparatus of this invention shown installed in a concrete support, parts of the apparatus being broken away and shown in cross section to reveal details of construction;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional View along line 4 4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional View taken along line 5 5 of FIG. 3.

The anchor apparatus of this invention, broadly designated 1d in FIG. 3, includes a body 12 having a pair of spaced sides 14 interconnected by a bight portion 16 to define a cavity in the form of an elongated channel 1S. The edges of the sides 14 remote from 'night portion 16 are provided with longitudinally extending ilanges 2th extending toward one another in partial overlying relationship with respect to channel 18 and presenting therebetween an elongated opening in the form of a slot 22.

An elongated anchor element 24 of lesser dimension than channel 1S, is slidably received'therein and has a pair of lateral legs Z6 disposed to engage the surface of bight portion 16 forming the bottom of channel 18 and maintaining the remainder of element 24 spaced outwardly from bight portion 16 as shown in FIG. 4.

Anchor element 24 is retained within channel 1d by means of a retainer in theform of a plate 23 slidably received between sides 14 in overlying relationship with respect to element 24 and beneath flanges Ztl. Plate 2S is free to slide longitudinally along channel 13, but is wider than the width of slot 22 and extends across element 24 to prevent the latter from being removed from channel 18 through slot 22.

Element 24 has a pair of spaced openings or holes Siti therein which are preferably internallyethreadedfor a purpose to be made clear hereinafter.""Apertures 32 in lCe plate 28 and overlying holes 30 are of suihcient dimension to provide access to holes 30 through plate 28 irrespective of the relative position taken by element 24 in channel 18 with respect to plate 23. To this end, element 24 may be provided with a pair of embossments 34 in the outer face thereof extending into an opening 36 in plate ZS. Embossments 34 serve to engage plate 23 adjacent the opposed ends of opening 36 to insure that plate 28 shifts longitudinally along channel 18 with element 24 to maintain correct alignment of holes 30 and apertures 32 in element 24 and plate 23 respectively.

it will be noted in FIG. 3 that the spacing between the respective holes 30 and embossments 34 is suflicient to permit the angular rotation of element 24 with respect to plate 28, and apertures 32 are wide enough that the holes Sii are completely exposed throughout such angular rotation.

Body 12 is adapted to be secured to a support which may be in the nature of a concrete block 38 or the like, and to this end, body 12 may be provided with outwardly extending enlargements 4t) presenting shoulders 42 for rigidly securing body 12 in block 38 when the latter is poured. Manifestly, shoulders 42 resist any tendency of body 12 to be pulled from block 38. Additionally, pairs of spaced, longitudinally extending ribs 44 may be formed on bight portion 16, as shown in FIG. 5, with the ribs of each pair inclined toward one another to present therebetween a slot 46.

Nuts 43, having opposed, inclined edges, complementally engaging the inner edges of ribs 44, are received within slots 46 and shiftable therealong to any desired position. Screws 50 threadably engaged in nuts 48, serve to position nuts 48 at any desired position along slots 46 by engaging the bottom surface of slot 46 and forcing nuts 48 outwardly into firm frictional engagement with the inwardly inclined ribs 44. An enlarged head 52 on each screw 511, is disposed to be embedded in block 38 to more securely anchor body 12 therein. A pair of opposed end plates 53 extend across channel 18 at the ends of body 12 and may be secured to the latter by any suitable means such as welding or the like.

In operation, apparatus 10 is installed at the time of the pouring of block 3d, and body 12 is iirmly secured in block 38 as previously discussed. Screws 50 are suitably positioned along slots 46 as permitted by the configuration of the concrete reinforcing wires (not shown).

With the apparatus installed, a member 54 which may be a supporting post for a stair railing 56 or the like, is secured to anchor element 24 by means of a pair of spaced fastening devices .carried by member 54. In the assembly illustrated in FlG. 4, the fastening devices cornprise bolts 58 which pass through slot 22, apertures 32 in plate 2S, and are threadably received in holes Si? of element 24. To this end, element 24 is freely shiftable to any desired position within the limits dened by the relative sizes of channel 18 and element 24 so that holes 30 may be properly aligned with the bolts 53. Upon such alignment, the tightening of bolts S8 clamp plate 23 and the iianges 2@ betweenelernent 24 and member 54. If desired, a connector 60 may be positioned between member 54 and the apparatus 10 to provide a flattened surface disposed to engage flanges 2h. Continued tightening of bolts 5d firmly lock element 24 in fixed relative position with respect to body 12 through the frictional engagement between element 24, plate 28 and flanges 20.

Thus, itis apparent that apparatus 1d provides a rm anchor for `use with structure such as concrete or the likewherein the outer surfaces thereof are not always truly oriented with respect to the members which :they support. Despite any misalignment of the supporting structure surfaces, the free shiftability of element 24 with respect to the firmly mounted body 12, permits ready d3 alignment of the fastening devices which normally are aixed to the supported member in predetermined spaced relationship.

It will be noted that the one-piece construction of body 12 is particularly adapted to be formed utilizing relatively inexpensive extrusion processes and, if desired, ribs 4d may be formed integral with bight portion 16 in this process. Plate 28 and element 24 are completely contained within channel 18 and are protected by the sides 14 and llanges 2) whereby element 24 and plate 28 may be constructed from less durable material than would be necesary it these components were exposed to external forces. Thus, it is possible to cast these components from relatively brittle material such as cast iron, to further minimize the expense of fabrication. lnasmueh as plate 23 is shitable along channel 1S with element 24, proper distribution of the stresses imparted to element 24 through the clamping of anges Ztl thereto, is insured.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. Apparatus for anchoring an elongated member having a pair ot spaced, externally threaded fastening devices thereon to a support comprising:

an elongated, hollow body having a pair of spaced sides and a tiange for each side respectively, said anges extending inwardly toward each other from corresponding longitudinal edges of said sides and being spaced apart to form a slot therebetween, said sides deiining a channel therebetween communicating with said slot, said body adapted to be secured to said support;

an elongated, rigid anchor element having a length and width less than the length and width of said channel, said anchor element being disposed within the channel with the length of the anchor element extending along the length of the channel to permit limited longitudinal and transverse movement of the anchor element relative to said body, said anchor element having a pair of internally threaded openings therein spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between said fastening devices of said member, said openings being adapted to threadably receive said fastening devices to couple the member to said anchor element when the latter is in any one o a number of positions within said channel;

a rigid retainer plate having a length less than the length ot the vchannel and a width greater than the width of said slot, said retainer plate being disposed within the channel, between said anchor element and the tianges and across said slot for maintaining the element in the channel, said retainer plate being provided with apertures larger than and in alignment with the openings in said anchor element to permit said fastening devices to be received within said openings when said anchor element is angularly disposed in said channel; and

means coupling the anchor element to said retainer plate to permit said anchor element to move longitudinally of the channel with said retainer plate and to move transversely of said channel relative to said retainer plate whereby the openings of said anchorelement may be aligned with said fastening devices when said member is not completely aligned with said support.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said retainer plate having a central, longitudinally extending opening intermediate said apertures, said coupling means including a pair of spaced bosses rigid to the anchor element and extending through said central opening, said bosses being spaced apart a distance to permit said anchor element to rotate in said channel relative to said retainer plate.

3. ln railing structure having a post member for coupling a railing to a vertical side wall of a stationary support, the combination with said post member and the support of means for securing the post member to the support comprising:

an elongated, hollow body having a pair of spaced sides and a iiange for each side respectively, said tianges extending inwardly toward each other from corresponding longitudinal edges of said sides and being spaced apart to form a slot therebetween, said sides dening a channel therebetween communicating with said slot, said body being disposed in an upright position in said support with said flanges being adjacent the outer surface ot said vertical side wall of the support;

an elongated, rigid anchor element having a length and width less than the length and width of said channel, said anchor element being disposed within the channel with the length of the anchor element extending along the length of the channel to permit limited longitudinal and transverse movement of the anchor element relative to said body, said anchor element having a pair of longitudinally spaced, internally threaded openings therein;

a rigid retainer plate having a length less than the length of the channel and a width greater than the with of said slot, said retainer plate being disposed within said channel, ybetween said anchor element and the tiange and across said slot for maintaining the elem-ent in the channel, said retainer plate being provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced apertures therethrough and in alignment with and larger than the openings in said anchor element;

means coupling the anchor element to said retainer plate to permit said anchor element to move longitudinally of the channel with said retainer plate and to move transversely of and rotate in said channel relative to said retainer piate; and

a pair of externally threaded fastening devices mounted on and projecting laterally from said post member, said devices being spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the distance between said openings in said anchor element, said fastening devices extending through said apertures and being threadably received within said openings to couple the anchor element with said post member with said retainer plate clamped therebetween.

References Eitod in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. APPARATUS FOR ANCHORING AN ELONGATED MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED, EXTERNALLY THREADED FASTENING DEVICES THEREON TO A SUPPORT COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED, HOLLOW BODY HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED SIDES AND A FLANGE FOR EACH SIDE RESPECTIVELY, SAID FLANGES EXTENDING INWARDLY TOWARD EACH OTHER FROM CORRESPONDING LONGITUDINAL EDGES OF SAID SIDES AND BEING SPACED APART TO FORM A SLOT THEREBETWEEN, SAID SIDES DEFINING A CHANNEL THEREBETWEEN COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SLOT, SAID BODY ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO SAID SUPPORT; AN ELONGATED, RIGID ANCHOR ELEMENT HAVING A LENGTH AND WIDTH LESS THAN THE LENGTH AND WIDTH OF SAID CHANNEL, SAID ANCHOR ELEMENT BEING DISPOSED WITHIN THE CHANNEL WITH THE LENGTH OF THE ANCHOR ELEMENT EXTENDING ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE CHANNEL TO PERMIT LIMITED LONGITUDINAL AND TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT OF THE ANCHOR ELEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID BODY, SAID ANCHOR ELEMENT HAVING A PAIR OF INTERNALLY THREADED OPENING THEREIN SPACED APART A DISTANCE EQUAL TO THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID FASTENING DEVICES OF SAID MEMBER, SAID OPENINGS BEING ADAPTED TO THREADABLY RECEIVE SAID FASTENING DEVICES TO COUPLE THE MEMBER TO SAID ANCHOR ELEMENT WHEN THE LATTER IS IN ANY ONE OF A NUMBER OF POSITIONS WITHIN SAID CHANNEL; A RIGID RETAINER PLATE HAVING A LENGTH LESS THAN THE LENGTH OF THE CHANNEL AND A WIDTH GREATER THAN THE WIDTH OF SAID SLOT, SAID RETAINER PLATE BEING DISPOSED WITHIN THE CHANNEL, BETWEEN SAID ANCHOR ELEMENT AND THE FLANGES AND ACROSS SAID SLOT FOR MAINTAINING THE ELEMENT IN THE CHANNEL, SAID RETAINER PLATE BEING PROVIDED WITH APERTURES LARGER THAN AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE OPENINGS IN SAID ANCHOR ELEMENT TO PERMIT SAID FASTENING DEVICES TO BE RECEIVED WITHIN SAID OPENINGS WHEN SAID ANCHOR ELEMENT IS ANGULARLY DISPOSED IN SAID CHANNEL; AND MEANS COUPLING THE ANCHOR ELEMENT TO SAID RETAINER PLATE TO PERMIT SAID ANCHOR ELEMENT TO MOVE LONGITUDINALLY OF THE CHANNEL WITH SAID RETAINER PLATE AND TO MOVE TRANSVERSELY OF SAID CHANNEL RELATIVE TO SAID RETAINER PLATE WHEREBY THE OPENINGS OF SAID ANCHOR ELEMENT MAY BE ALIGNED WITH SAID FASTENING DEVICES WHEN SAID MEMBER IS NOT COMPLETELY ALIGNED WITH SAID SUPPORT. 